PENGASSAN vs Dangote: A Standoff With Nigeria’s Future at Stake
By Rabi Ummi Umar
Dangote’s refinery rollout changed the energy story of Nigeria and Africa, ushering in a new era of stability and hope. Fuel queues, once a nightmare on every street corner, began to disappear.
Though pump prices came higher than many expected, the refinery’s success promised availability and some sense of order in a sector that had for decades been defined by scarcity and chaos.
In an earlier piece titled, “Dangote Petrol Rollout: What’s Next for Nigeria?”, I asked: “As Nigeria grapples with fuel scarcity and rising prices in recent weeks, the Dangote Refinery’s rollout offers a glimmer of hope.
Yet, questions linger: Will its production truly end fuel scarcity? How soon will it impact the forex market? Will the naira stabilize, perhaps even appreciate against the dollar?”
Few imagined that sabotage or disputes could cast shadows over such a project, considering the symbol it has become. For many, the refinery represented a game-changer: a venture to save foreign exchange, strengthen the naira, and place
Nigeria not only as a crude exporter but also a refined fuel powerhouse. Today, however, a standoff between Dangote Refinery’s management and the Petroleum and Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has triggered new anxieties.
PENGASSAN alleges that Dangote dismissed more than 800 staff members for unionizing, replacing them with foreigners. The union has responded by ordering its members to shut down the gas valve that feeds the refinery. Dangote Group insists the layoffs were part of a necessary reorganization.
The result is a bitter divide in public opinion. To some, Dangote is exerting undue control; to others, PENGASSAN is overstepping its bounds, since Nigerian labor law grants employers the right to hire and fire.
Regardless of where one stands, one truth remains clear: the refinery is too important to fail. It is a lifeline to Nigeria’s economy. Its collapse would be disastrous, not just for Dangote, but for Nigeria, Africa, and even the global energy market.
There is also the matter of image. For a nation struggling to attract foreign direct investment, this drama is embarrassing. It paints Nigeria as a place where even homegrown investors cannot thrive. How then can we convince outsiders to come?
The irony is stark. In a nation where leaders travel abroad proclaiming economic revival, a crisis like this only weakens the credibility of those claims.
As a Nigerian-owned refinery, the project is more than an enterprise—it is a symbol of what Nigerians can achieve against daunting odds. Its survival should be a collective priority. Watching it embroiled in such drama is both heartbreaking and disheartening.
If we cannot support our own to grow and thrive, who will? The future of Nigeria cannot afford this uncertainty. Both Dangote and PENGASSAN must remember that the refinery is bigger than them—it is about the lives of millions of Nigerians.
Only when both sides put the nation first can progress match the promise of the most populous black nation on earth.
Rabi Umar is an intern at IMPR and can be reached via [email protected]